Call to Suspend Pakistan’s GSP+ As Human Rights Violations Mount

During the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, a heated debate reignited over Pakistan's preferential trade status with the European Union. European Parliamentarians and human rights experts have urged for the immediate temporary suspension of Islamabad's GSP+ benefits due to ongoing human rights abuses in the region. The side event, co-organised by EU Today and the European Facilitation Platform, premiered an investigative documentary shedding light on this pressing issue.

Barbara Bonte, a Member of the European Parliament, delivered a keynote address raising concerns that the EU's economic incentives have inadvertently strengthened radical religious education in Pakistan. She pointed to the surge in Islamic schools, or madrasas, which have ballooned from a few hundred to over 30,000, often serving as hotbeds of religious extremism. Bonte urged the European Union to halt Pakistan's GSP+ status, stressing that Europe should not fund policies that contribute to radicalisation.

In a powerful statement, Bonte highlighted the inconsistency in the European Union's policy enforcement. Despite Pakistan's failure to meet the human rights commitments tied to GSP+, they continue to receive significant trade preferences and financial aid. She emphasized the urgency of suspending the GSP+ status to prevent the further promotion of religious extremism, a concern echoed by Inna Chefranova of the European Facilitation Platform, who added that the European Commission's lax stance sets a dangerous precedent.